The Reality of It
by ghost-writer-88
Summary: Because some people choose not to be saved. -Oneshot-


The Reality of It

Universe: Bay'verse Dystopia AU

Warnings: Mentions of massive global destruction and genocide.

So, yeah, this is probably as depressing as I will ever get, but I had this thought shortly after watching the second Bay movie. I found my thought partially justified in the third, but I never published the short story I had created, til now.

Note: this is a One-shot and will not have any sequels or continuations. If anyone would like to use this as inspiration for any ficcage, feel free, just be sure to ask me in advance.

* * *

Optimus finally just shook his head and walked away. If the politicians wanted to believe the Decepticons would leave Earth alone if the Autobots were not there, then the Prime would allow them that choice. The 'Bots human friends did not believe that the 'good robots' would ever abandon them, so when the great Leader offered them asylum from what was coming they declined. They thought that the Autobots would always have their backs. Then the Autobots left.

Their friends searched for them, but they were not on Earth. They checked the moon, wondering if the 'Bots had taken a brief respite to their moon base, but it was empty. In the end the humans were forced to conclude that the Autobots had left the entire solar system as the only evidence of their passing came from one of the deep space probes as it passed Saturn.

The politicians rejoiced, finally, they had gotten rid of the dangerous, resource-leaching, evil-robot-attracting, aliens. And, since the Decepticons did not attack the moment the good robots left, the naysayers proclaimed that the Autobots had been lying to the Earth all along.

The few humans who had considered themselves allies and friends of the displaced Cybertronians, thought that the big guys were trying to teach the earthlings a lesson and would surely come back to protect them when the 'Cons attacked.

And they were partly right. The Autobots did come back, but not until it was almost too late. After the Decepticons had descended upon them like angels of death. After, every military establishment, both major and minor had been obliterated, every gun-carrying ship destroyed, and every government center world-wide leveled. After every city and town had been rendered a graveyard of half-broken buildings and unburied bodies. There had been no time to organize a defense, no advance warning. The human satellites were the first things the Decepticons appropriated, or destroyed. NEST had been dissolved after the first confirmation of the Autobots withdrawal so even that meager protection had been removed.

Lennox, Epps, and Graham saw the writing on the wall though and when the orders came to disband they chose to retire, taking whatever Cybertronian leftovers they could smuggle out. When the first wave of attackers were busy leveling the more densely populated cities Lennox snuck Sam, Mikaela, and their families out to the rural farm where the rest of the 'Bot allies were hiding.

The motley crew of mixed civilians and former soldiers had stockpiled resources against this eventuality and had created a miniature underground garrison to protect them until the Autobots returned. They were still convinced that the 'Bots would come to save them.

The rest of humanity did not share the same fate. Eighty percent of Earth's population was terminated before the survivors learned how to hide effectively. Acquiring sustenance and medical supplies, not to mention survival gear and clothing, became another number reducing trial. Every excursion fraught with potential death. The humans were reduced to sneaking around like gutter rats, hoping the 'Cons were in a good mood that day and not in a mood to play 'Potshot' or 'Target Practice.'

The most depressing part was that it only took the Decepticons an earth month to eradicate the 'squishy infestation' and establish a firm stronghold while their harvesters stripped the planet of its resources.

It was at the end of this month, when nearly all hope had been lost, that the Autobots finally returned. However, when they came it was not in the avenging blaze of retribution sweeping the evil hordes from their ramparts like gazelles before the lions like the humans expected.

Instead, it was a single, tiny group of spec ops warriors, come to offer one last refuge to their friends. Jazz, Mirage, Trailbreaker, Hound, and the Twins. Accepting reluctantly that their home was forever lost, the small group of surviving humans joined the Autobots as fellow refugees, ever in search of someplace that might allow them to call it 'home.'

It was Sam who finally got the courage to ask the Prime why he had abandoned them when they needed him most. His answer was sorrowfully gentle, but that did not make its truth any less painful to hear.

"I have often said that Freedom is the Right of All Sentient Beings, but what goes unnoticed by most is that freedom also includes free will and choice. When your leaders expressed their distaste for our help and showed hostility towards our presence on your world, even rejecting our status as refugees, they made it clear that their choice was to be left alone. They chose to reject the threat of the Decepticons as valid and made it clear that they did not need to be saved. So, we respected their choice, despite how it pained us, and we did not save them. We waited on the outskirts of your galaxy, hoping, praying, that humankind would call for aid, but you never did.

It was the hardest thing we have ever done, allowing you your choice, your freedom. But sometimes, despite the fact that salvation is offered freely, there are those who choose not to be saved."


End file.
